


Freeing

by Lur17tired



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Non-Sexual Kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-25 19:09:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20729300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lur17tired/pseuds/Lur17tired
Summary: Kent is hurting and trapped in his head after a rough season. This year he isn't alone.





	Freeing

The season had been hard on the Aces. There was a slew of injuries leaving them down a player or more for a large percentage of the season. It really affected morale, and despite their best efforts, the Aces narrowly failed to gain a spot in the playoffs. 

It’s not like it’s never happened before, even with Kent as captain, but it always hurts some. The worst part is seeing his team. Kent has to keep it together for the cameras and for his team, but it’s even harder to look at the lens and say “we did our best.” when it always feels like he could've done more. 

He knows he didn’t, but the looks of defeat on his teammates’ faces make him feel like he did something wrong, like he should've done more.

The falconers are still playing, so when Kent takes care of everything that kept him in Vegas, it’s just the two of them in their shared house just outside of Providence. 

Bitty, the angel that he is, takes care of kent while he spends the first day feeling unable to move from their bed. It doesn’t help him mich to just lay there. He feels trapped by his mind. He should be supporting Jack or something. Definitely not worrying Bitty by sequestering himself in their bedroom. 

At least Bitty brings him food. Before Kent had someone to help him with the basic requirements of living, he would go days after every season laying in bed, occasionally crying from the stress of not being able to move himself from his bed, and not eating even when it felt like going another minute without eating would make him throw up. Even after he would get up he would usually overeat to compensate and make himself feel even sicker. 

When Kent can finally break his mind’s grasp on his higher function, he immediately walks to where bitty is sat on the couch watching some reality show Kent can’t manage to make his mind recognize. He falls to his knees in front of Bity and shoves his face against the inside of Bitty’s thigh.

Kent could easily spend decades extolling the various perfections of one Eric Bittle. He would spend years talking about how glad he is that Bitty doesn’t want sex from him when he doesn’t want it. 

Kent’s sure that’s meant to be a common trait, but Bitty is just genuinely happy to let Kent fall into his lap without requiring sex to accompany the affection. Maybe Kent hasn’t dated people who are the most respectful, but even the best of the best wanted something. 

Bitty wants Kent to feel cared for. 

Kent has been on the verge of tears since he was first getting out of bed and thinking about how lucky he is to have someone in his life -a boyfriend. he gets to have a boyfriend, not just a fling. He’s finally safe enough for that- who genuinely cares about him more than what he can do makes the tears finally escape his eyes. 

He still isn’t in control of his brain enough to stop himself from leaning into the feeling. Maybe it’ll be cathartic.

When he inevitably begins to breathe in heaves and gasps, Bitty brings and hand down to run it through his hair. Kent Keens at the touch.

Kent isn’t sure how long he kneels at Bity’s feet, but he wouldn’t be complaining if it was forever. 

Having Bitty’s hand in his hair stroking his bleach blond hair and occasionally running his nails over his scalp allows Kent to leave his head. He feels like he’s been trapped in there since the season started sometimes. Being able to leave all of his problems behind while Bitty takes care of him and gives him something to focus on that isn’t the swirling thoughts that never seem to leave him is his own patch of heaven.

Eventually, the door opens and closes. It’s probably Jack, but Bitty doesn’t stop petting him, so Kent assumes that there's no need to drag himself back.

Bitty shifts to kiss Jack a welcome home and a larger hand brielfly joins Bitty’s in his hair. It’s all Kent can do to hum a greeting. 

They speak briefly about something or other, but Kent isn’t lucid enough to process their voices as words with meaning. It’s not his problem right now. He doesn’t have to be in control.

He’s free and cared for and it’s all he could ever need.

Eventually, Bitty starts to drag Kent back to awareness. He begins by saying Kent’s name. By the time Kent can recognize it, it seems like Bitty’s been saying it for a while, but he doesn't sound annoyed, and his words are soft and caring, so it’s fine.

“Oh, Kent, Kenny, Love. Let’s come back for just a bit. Jack made dinner, but it’s more than chicken tenders, so it’ll be hit or miss. C’mon Kent I know you can do this. You’re so good for me, aren’t you? My perfect boy.” Kent whines.

“There you are. C’mon sweetheart. Open your eyes. You don’t even have to get up yet. Just enough to look at me right now. Let me see what color those beautiful eyes yours are right now.” It takes Kent another thirty seconds to manage that and the low evening light filtering through the curtains is blinding. He winces.

“Shh, Kenny. Here, I can help.” He places a hand between Kent’s eyes and the main source of the light. “You did a very good job didn’t you, honey. Opened your eyes so well for me.”

Kent can’t help the smile that brings to his face. He’s sure it’s small in reality, but to a face that hasn’t done much in a few days other than grimace from tears, it feels like a lot. Kent’s heart feels like it might explode. 

He leans his head to the side against Bitty’s knee. 

“I love you, Bits.”

“I love you too, Kenny. You’re so amazing, what else could a man ask for?”

Kent grins, and it’s becoming easier to smile again, “That’s my line isn’t is.”

Kent absolutely adores the way that Bitty still blushes at his casual flirting.

“You are utterly incorrigible, you’re lucky I love that about you.”

“I really am.” and he’s even redder and Kent can’t help but push himself up to lay a chaste kiss on Bitty’s blushing cheek. “You’re the best thing that’s happened to me since sliced bread.”

The mixed metaphor makes Bitty giggle. What else could Kent ever want more than to hear that joyful noise forever? 

They’re luxuriating in the simple skinship of being close to each other and so in love when Jack comes to check on them. 

He sighs fondly and simply picks them both up. Ordinarily, Bitty, at least, would be struggling out of Jack’s arms, insisting that he would walk on his own thank you very much, but it’s been the kind of day that leads to both Jack’s boyfriend and metamour relaxing in the strong hold he has on them. 

Both blonds are disappointed when Jack has to put them down when they reach the table, but the mild annoyance at the lack of contact is easily outweighed by the shared surge of affection Kent and Bitty feel for Jack when they see the dinner set up. There are three places set and Jack has pulled out all the stops.

He lit candles and brought the cloth napkins out from storage. It’s a very romantic set up. Jack’s love language is almost completely action, though he has learned to communicate with his words when he needs to. Kent feels like he might start crying again. His partner is doing his best to make sure that he’s feeling better and facilitate that and it’s almost too much. 

In thanks, he wraps Jack in a tight hug. 

“Thank you,” he manages to say and walks over to take his place at the table.

The dinner is perfect. 

Kent’s not perfect, but he doesn’t think it matters when he has people in his life who are willing to help him through the bad times.

**Author's Note:**

> queer-platonic pimms? non-sexual kink? in my fic? it's more likely than you'd think.


End file.
